I’ve just read the first review published by a major news outlet for Twilight and it’s not a good one. That doesn’t mean that I believe the film is going to bomb at all; this thing is now a genuine phenom and is going to do at least $45 million dollars worth of ticket sales this weekend. No, what I think we’re seeing is another review proof movie, just as the three Star Wars prequels were. Shaky acting, too much soulless CG and weak storylines didn’t seem to matter with audiences who paid up to see The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Quite possibly Twilight could be the fangirl equivalent of this kind of movie event.
I’m not trying to be a film snob, not every movie has to be made to push ahead cinema or come from some nobler sense of purpose. I believe that there is room for popcorn entertainment, films like Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Pretty Woman, Die Hard, Ace Ventura as well as your Schindler’s List, Hotel Rwanda, Silence of the Lambs or Citizen Kane. But even a popcorn movie needs to rise to the level of sophistication where all elements of the picture engage the viewer, and according to Variety’s reviewer, Twilight makes some dumb mistakes. “Even with angsty rock songs, lurching camerawork and emo-ish voiceover at her disposal, [director Catherine] Hardwicke can’t get inside the head of her young protagonist,” writes film reviewer Justin Chang. “Bella’s decision to get hot and heavy with a hot-and-hungry vampire, far from seeming like an act of mad, transgressive passion, comes across as merely stupid and ill-considered. The result is a supernatural romance in which the supernatural and romantic elements feel rushed, unformed and insufficiently motivated, leaving audiences with little to do but shrug and focus on the eye-candy.”
I can’t help but think back to the release of Titanic, which to my mind certainly qualifies as a popcorn flick. The reviews that I recall of the film didn’t say that the movie’s love story fell short of what was expected or that it seemed unbelievable or forced. Don’t get me wrong because I also don’t think Titanic should be used as an example of a top tier love story but as a hybrid that mixes together action, romance and a historical narrative, it’s top flight entertainment. And the box office that Titanic made reflects that.
Of course, this is also the first published review and there are many more to come. Tomorrow the Reporter could publish their thoughts on Twilight and give it a passing grade. Read Variety’s review of Twilight and then let me know what you think of Twilight, the book or movie, or what you think of my opinion. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
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